News

The events of the past week, surrounding the situation in Hormuz, have shown a clear disconnect between what’s been said and the harsh reality. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Xclusiv said that “even though Iran and the US formally agreed to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, the reality on the water tells a …

The Bulker market entered 2026 with momentum, supported by firm asset values and solid secondhand activity. That momentum has since been tempered by the escalating crisis at the Strait of Hormuz, which has progressively weighed on ordering confidence, freight markets, and transaction volumes as the conflict has deepened. At the time of writing, 192 Bulkers …

MR ballasters in the Atlantic Basin have remained broadly rangebound, even in the post-war environment. This reflects largely offsetting vessel flows: while MRs in the Atlantic Basin have been fixing cargoes for voyages into the Pacific Basin, this has been counterbalanced by a steady flow of vessels ballasting back from the Pacific to the Atlantic. …

The ship recycling markets have exhibited a mixed performance depending on each submarket. In its latest weekly report, Best Oasis (www.best-oasis.com), a leading cash buyer of ships, said that “Indian recyclers continue to face challenges in securing fresh tonnage, as higher price levels offered by Bangladesh are drawing vessels away from the market. Domestic steel …

China’s shipbuilding industry continues to dominate the global orderbook, and the past year has seen its top yards cement their grip on global contracting. The top 10 Chinese yards have collectively attracted significant newbuilding investment across a broad range of vessel types, from VLCCs and LNG carriers to Containers and Bulkers. Below, we profile the …

The US and Iran failed to reach a deal over the weekend, with the US announcing a complete blockade of Iranian ports, further undermining the already fragile two-week ceasefire starting from 8th April 2026. If enforced, vessel transits via the Strait of Hormuz could come to a complete halt, as Iran may strive itself to …

Activity over the past week looked to be more dynamic in the S&P front, rather than the newbuilding market. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Xclusiv said that “on the On the Newcastlemax sector, Chinese buyers acquired the “RTM CARTIER” – 205K/2012 HHIC and the “RTM ZHENG HE” – 205K/2012 HHIC for excess USD 90 …

On February 28, the Iran war effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. Within days, daily traffic through the world’s most critical oil chokepoint collapsed from roughly 120 vessels to a trickle — a 97% drop that left more than 800 ships stranded west of the strait, thousands of seafarers in limbo, and Asian refiners scrambling …

Following last year’s US-China trade truce, China has resumed purchases of US grains and soybeans, a development welcomed by Washington after years of steadily declining volumes. Yet even as Beijing honours its commitments to American farmers, it is simultaneously casting its net wider. This month, Chinese trader COFCO lifted the first Argentinian corn cargo bound …

A number of developments could turn India into the next major importer of dry bulk commodities, after China. In its latest weekly report, shipbroker Intermodal said that “in a global environment defined by geopolitical uncertainty and inflationary pressures, India continues to demonstrate resilient growth potential. Although the OECD has estimated a slowdown in India’s GDP …